935 CMR 501.027 - Hardship Cultivation Registration

(1) A Qualifying Patient registered with the Commission pursuant to 935 CMR 501.015 may apply for a Hardship Cultivation Registration if such patient can demonstrate that his or her access to an MTC is limited by:

(a) Verified financial hardship;

(b) Physical incapacity to access reasonable transportation, as demonstrated by an inability to use public transportation or drive oneself, lack of a Personal Caregiver with a reliable source of transportation, and lack of an MTC that will deliver Marijuana to the patient's or Personal Caregiver's primary address;

(c) Lack of an MTC within a reasonable distance of the patient's primary residence and lack of an MTC that will deliver Marijuana to the patient's or Personal Caregiver's primary address; or

(d) Lack of access to a medicine essential for the Qualifying Patient's treatment plan.

(2) To obtain a Hardship Cultivation Registration, a Registered Qualifying Patient shall, in a form and manner determined by the Commission, submit the following:

(a) Information supporting a claim that access is limited due to one or more of the circumstances listed in 935 CMR 501.027(1);

(b) An explanation, including lack of feasible alternatives, to mitigate the limitation claimed under 935 CMR 501.027(1);

(c) A description and address of the single location that shall be used for the cultivation of Marijuana, which shall be either the Registered Qualifying Patient's or one Personal Caregiver's primary residence;

(d) A written explanation of how the Registered Qualifying Patient will cultivate Marijuana in accordance with the requirements of 935 CMR 501.027;

(e) A description of the device or system that will be used to ensure security and prevent diversion of the Marijuana plants being cultivated;

(f) Written acknowledgment of the limitations on their authorization to cultivate, possess, and use Marijuana for medical purposes in the Commonwealth; and

(g) Any other information required by the Commission.

(3) The Commission shall review and approve or deny an application for a Hardship Cultivation Registration within 30 calendar days of receipt of a completed application.

(4) A Registered Qualifying Patient with a Hardship Cultivation Registration, or their Personal Caregiver(s), may cultivate only at the location specified in the application approved by the Commission.

(5) A Hardship Cultivation Registration will be valid for one year from the date of issue. On the issuance of a new certificate, the holder of the certificate shall destroy any previously issued certificate in a responsible manner that would prevent it from being used as a certificate.

(6) A Hardship Cultivation Registration may be renewed, in a form and manner determined by the Commission, on an annual basis, which includes, but is not limited to, meeting the requirements in 935 CMR 501.027(2).

(7) A Hardship Cultivation Registration shall allow the Registered Qualifying Patient or their Personal Caregiver(s) to cultivate a limited number of plants sufficient to maintain a 60-day Supply of Marijuana solely for that patient's use.

(8) A Registered Qualifying Patient is prohibited from possessing or cultivating more than 12 Flowering plants and 12 Vegetative plants, excluding Clones, without a Hardship Cultivation Registration.

(9) Cultivation and storage of Marijuana shall be in an enclosed, locked area accessible only to the Registered Qualifying Patient or their Personal Caregiver(s), subject to 935 CMR 501.840. Marijuana may not be visible from the street or other public areas.

(10) A Registered Qualifying Patient engaging in Hardship Cultivation shall comply with all applicable municipal or state requirements for electrical usage and fire safety, and shall document its fire safety plan and electrical and fire inspections.

(11) A Registered Qualifying Patient or their Personal Caregiver(s) cultivating Marijuana pursuant to a Hardship Cultivation Registration shall adhere to any standards specified by the Commission.

(12) A Registered Qualifying Patient and their Personal Caregiver(s) are prohibited from selling, bartering, giving away or distributing in any manner Marijuana cultivated pursuant to a Hardship Cultivation Registration.

(13) The Commission may inspect the cultivation site of a Registered Qualifying Patient with a Hardship Cultivation Registration, or the cultivation site of their Personal Caregiver(s), at a reasonable time, with reasonable notice as defined by the Commission, taking into consideration the circumstances of the Registered Qualifying Patient. Acceptance of a Hardship Cultivation Registration by a Registered Qualifying Patient constitutes consent for such inspection of the cultivation site. The Commission may not provide notice in cases of suspected diversion, where the Commission is working with Law Enforcement Authorities.

(14) Registration for hardship cultivation may be available in a form and manner determined by the Commission. If, prior to the Program Transfer, a Registered Qualifying Patient received Written Certification of a Debilitating Medical Condition from a physician and used that Written Certification as a limited cultivation registration, the initial limited cultivation registration will remain valid until the application for the Hardship Cultivation Registration card is approved or denied by the Commission.

(15) After obtaining a Hardship Cultivation Registration, a Registered Qualifying Patient is responsible for notifying the Commission, in a form and manner determined by the Commission, within five business days after any change to the information that they or their Personal Caregiver(s) was previously required to submit to the Commission.

(16) A Registered Qualifying Patient with a Hardship Cultivation Registration, or their Personal Caregiver(s) if applicable, shall have the registration available at the site of cultivation. The Commission may make such registration available on request of the Registered Qualifying Patient or other government agency acting within their lawful authority.

Notes

935 CMR 501.027

Adopted by Mass Register Issue 1403, eff. 11/1/2019. Amended by Mass Register Issue 1434, eff. 1/8/2021. Amended by Mass Register Issue 1436, eff. 1/8/2021. Amended by Mass Register Issue 1441, eff. 1/8/2021.